Lynn Tech running back Steffan Gravely mustered just 43 yards on 12 carries against Triton. Photo by Bob Roche
By Gordon Vincent
PEABODY — Last week’s “upset” of Peabody was no fluke. The Triton Regional football team is for real.
The Vikings scored three touchdowns in the first eight minutes and rolled to a 33-16 win over Lynn Tech, Friday, night, at Bishop Fenwick’s Donaldson Stadium.
“You can’t give them the field position we gave them in the first quarter and expect to win,” Tech coach James Runner said. “But my hat’s off to Triton. They’re a well-coached football team and they played great tonight.”
For Triton (2-0), Liam Spillane ran for one score and returned an interception 54 yards for another touchdown. Quarterback Lewi L’Heureux threw a touchdown pass to Christian O’Brien, ran for a score and also had an interception on defense. Bryan Hughes also scored on a 15-yard run for the Vikings.
Tech (1-1) got a 10-yard touchdown run from Steffan Gravely and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jamar Johnson to Robert Wallace in the fourth quarter.
“We knew we were going to have our hands full after they beat Peabody last week, but we didn’t play well,” Runner. “We’re still a good football team, and we’ll have to bounce back from this.”
Tech’s first drive went three-and-out, and Triton’s Marc Wood blocked the ensuing punt and recovered it at the Tigers’ 1-yard line. Spillane ran into the end zone on the next play and Triton led, 7-0, just 2:32 into the game.
The Vikings also got good field position at Tech’s 23 after another three-and-out and a short punt. Four plays later, L’Heureux ran around the right end on a quarterback draw for a 15-yard touchdown, increasing Triton’s lead to 13-0, with 5:09 left in the first quarter.
Triton’s third score came at the end of a 45-yard drive that was culminated by Hughes’ touchdown run on a jet sweep to the right side. Tom Lapham‘s extra point kick was good and Triton led, 20-0, with three minutes left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, L’Heureux’s interception and 34-yard return to Tech’s 21 set up the Vikings’ fourth score, a 4-yard throw from L’Heureux to O’Brien by the right front pylon. The Tigers’ next drive also ended with an interception that Spillane returned down the right side of the field to put the Vikings ahead, 33-0, with 1:10 left in the first half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Tech finally got on the board when Gravely capped off a 50-yard, 5-play drive with a 10-yard touchdown run over left guard, with 4:25 left in the game.
The Tigers also scored on their final possession, when Wallace made a nice grab of Johnson’s throw on a fly pattern down the left sideline, with 20 seconds to play.
The game was played at Donaldson Stadium due to on-going work to install a new turf field at Triton’s home stadium.
“This is a great facility,” Runner said. “I really want to thank (Bishop Fenwick) coach (Dave) Woods for making their field available.”
BOX SCORE:
Tech 0 0 0 16-16
Triton 20 13 0 0-33
TRITON – Liam Spillane 1 run (Tom Lapham kick)
TRITON – Lewi L’Heureux 15 run (kick failed)
TRITON – Bryan Hughes 15 run (Lapham kick)
TRITON – Christian O’Brien 4 pass from L’Heureux (kick failed)
TRITON – Spillane 54 interception return (Lapham kick)
TECH – Steffan Gravely 10 run (Gravely rush)
TECH – Robert Wallace 33 pass from Jamar Johnson (Keoni Gaskin rush)
LT/T
1st downs/9/7
Yds rushing/28-112/25-84
Yds passing/85/58
C-A-I/6-14-2/9-18-0
Fumb-Rec/3-1/1-0
Pen-Yds/2-20/6-60
Tot. Yds/197/146
Plays/42/48
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
TECH: Gaskin 8-54, Gravely 12-43, Jamie James 1-28; TRITON: L’Heureux 8-54, Hughes 2-33, Spillane 8-20
PASSING
TECH: Johnson 6-14-2-85; TRITON: L’Heureux 8-14-0-61, Lapham 1-4-0-(-3)
RECEIVING
TECH: Wallace 1-33, Gravely 3-21, Gaskin 1-17, Robert Woodley 1-14; TRITON: Chris Trotta 1-17, Spillane 2-16, Bryan Wideberg 2-15, O’Brien 2-9
